Cotton-chopper



2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

"(n6 Modei.)

J. D. SGHOPIELD.

. COTTON GHOPPER.

.429. Patented Dec. 27, 1887.

Wicmonao UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES DROMMOND SGHOFIELD, OF ROGERS, TEXAS.

COTTON-CHOPPER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 375,429, dated December 27, 1887.

Application filed September 21, 1887. Serial No. 250,326. (No model.)

.To aZZ whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, J AMEs DROMMOND Sono- FIELD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Rogers, in the county of Bell and State of Texas, have invented new and useful Improvements in Automatic Two-Horse Hoes'or Gotton-Ghoppers, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to cotton-choppers; and it consists in the improvements, hereinafter described, whereby the chopping appliances are positively and effectively actuated, and the position of the cutting device controlled to secure the best effects.

In the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a machine embodying my improvements. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section. Fig. 3 is a front elevation. Fig. 4 is a plan view. Figs. 5 and 6 are detail views.

The frame of the machine consists of a rear bar, A, and side bars, B, the latter curving and converging at their front ends, at which point they are provided with the draft-tongue B, carrying the whiffletree B Brackets C depend from each side of the supporting-frame, and are perforated to form bearings for the main shaft O,the projecting ends of which have mounted thereon the main carrying-wheels 0 G Upon the shaft 0, and adjacent to the wheel C is mounted a cone sprocket-wheel, D. Hangers to depend from the rear ends of the side bars, B, and in said hangers bears the end of a transverse shaft, 11, upon which and in line with the wheel D is located a similar wheel, a, but which is in reversed relation to the other wheel. A spline or feather, d, is located upon the shaft b and is adapted to take into a recesstherefor in the hub of a bevel gear-wheel, E, which is thereby adapted to rotate with but move transversely on the shaft I) by means of a lever, e, the lower end of which is bifurcated toengage a groove in the wheelhub. This said lever e is pivoted at e. upon a segmental bracket, 6 the upper end of which is toothed to engage a pawl upon the lever and lock it in any of its adjusted positions.

A yoke-frame, F, spans the supportingframe at its rear and carries the seat for the p operator.

line therewith is located on the under side of the rear bar, A. An extended longitudinal shaft, G, plays in these aligned bearings and has one end extended rearwardly to permit the pivotal attachment thereto of the end of a rod, N, which has a vertically-depending portion and a part extending longitudinally at right angles thereto, and is located at its forward end for the attachment of the lower bent end, h, of the depending portion h of a shaft, h', which is journalcd on the under side of the rear bar of the frame and projects from one side for the attachment of a hand-lever, h.

i refers to a bracket-rod which has its ends secured to the longitudinal shaft G, and the said rod i forms a depending yoke, the horizontalsection t" of which is bent to form front and rear loops, 5 t. A second yoke-rod, I, is in reversed relation to the other yoke and has its vertical portion j playing through openings in the shaft G and through the loops 4; i The depending portions of the yoke I have secured thereto below the said loops t i the armsk of a longitudinal cutter-bar, K, which is inolined,as shown. 7

An arm, L,is pivotally secured to the main frame at one side and is curved so as to be acted upon by the depressed workingsurface of the cam F beneath, and the said arm is provided with a loop, Z, to which is pivotally attached a link, i, which is connected to one end of a bell-crank lever, m, pivotally mounted point for the lower horizontal rod of the yoke i. The other end of said pitman-rod O is connected to a wrist-pin, 0*, located eccentrically on the side of the cam F. A lever, 1?, is pivoted at the rear upon the side of a ratchetplate, 1), so as to engage the same to hold said lever in any of its adjusted positions. A red, Q, is connected to the lower end of the lever and has its forward end extending under the end of the horizontal guide portion of the pivoted arm.

In the operation of the machine the cone gear-wheels are connected by asprocket-belt, which is so adjusted as to revolve the gearwheel at a greater or less speed in a given interval oftime. The rotation of the geai whccl effects the revolution of the shaft- F and the cam on the end thereof, and the rotation of the cam causes the intermittent lifting and dropping of the guide-arm,together with the yoke-rod I an d the cutter-bar carried thereby. The descent of the pivoted arm maybe faeilitated by a spring secured to the carryingframe and arranged to bear upon the said arm. Simultaneous with this intermittent elevation and dropping of the cutter-bar the pitmanconnection with the cam causes said bar to be moved transversely, the movements of the cam and pitman being such that the cutter-bar will sweep in the direction of its cutting-edge as it descends and movein an opposite direction as it rises. This movement will occasion the cutting-bar to chop out the portions of the cotton-row, and upon its following movement to clear the plants and prepare for another sweep.

In the chopping operation it will be found desirable to vary the regularity of the chopping-rods to insure the removal of all unhealthy plants, and also clear obstructions when necessary, and this is effected by operating the lever of the shaft h,-thereby acting, through the rod N, upon the shaft G, to cause the latter to move back and forth in its bearings, and thus bringing the cutter-bar atthe desired point to chop. This adjustment can be readily carried out, since it will be noticed that the loop-connections allow the longitudinal movement required.

The lever P and its rod Q, can be operated to elevate the free end of the pivoted guide arm, so as to elevate the cutter-bar and its yoke relative to the shaft G, and lifting the curved portion of said guide-arm out of confact with the cam.

The gear-wheel upon the rear shaft may be readily moved out of its mesh with the bent pi 11- ion on the shaft F, and thus cause the complete suspension of the cam movement. The elevation of the cutter-bar and its yoke canalso be effected by depressing the pedal, which will secure the adjustment in a manner obvious.

It will be readily seen that the operation of the parts is certain and positive and that the chopping operation is conducted with dispatch, the machine being capable of chopping the cotton-row more effectively than is possible by hand.

I claim- 1. The combinatiomwith the carrying-frame, the longitudinal shaft F, and the hinged slotted arm a, of the longitudinally-movable shaft G, a frame, I, hung from said arm and sliding vertically in the shaft G, and carrying the cutter-bar, the bracket or frame i i, and a pitman, 0, connected to the shaft F and to the shaft G through the frame i as set forth.

2. Thecombinatiomwith the carrying-frame and transverse actuating-shalt, the longitudinal shaft F, driven from said actuatingshaft and provided with a cam at its front end, the longitudinally movable shaft G, a frame mounted in said shaft and movable vertically therethrough, and hung to swing transversely and provided with a cutter-bar, a yoke hung from the shaft G and engaging the said frame, and a pitman connecting said yoke and the cam on the front end of the shaft F, substantially as specified.

3. The combinatiomwith the carrying-frame and actuati ng-shaft, of the shaft F, driven therefrom and provided with a cam, F", a verticallymovable frame, I, hung to swing transversely and provided with a cutter-bar, a transverselymoving pitman,O, connected to said cam and frame, and a vertically-movable pivoted arm, n, engaging said frame I and vibrated by the cam, substantially as described.

4. The eombination,with the carrying-frame, of the longitudinally-movable shaft G, a vertically-movable frame, I, supported in said shaft and carrying a cutter-bar, an arm, n, pivoted on the frame and having a horizontal portion engaging said frame, and lever-eonnections for elevating said arm and cutterframe, substantially as described.

5. The combination,with the carrying-frame, of the longitudinal shaft G, a vertieally-movable frame, I, supported in said shaft and carrying a cutter-bar, an arm, n, pivoted on the carrying-frame and engaging said movable frame, a yoke, M, mounted on the carryingframe, a bent lever, m, mounted on said yoke, and a link, f, connecting said lever with the pivoted arm, substantially as specified.

6. The combination, with the carrying-frame, of the longitudinal shaft G, a swinging and vertically-movable frame, I, mounted in said shaft and carrying a cutter-bar, an arm, n, pivoted on the side of the carrying-frame and engaging the swinging frame, a lever, 1, pivoted at the rear of the carrying-frame, and a rod, Q, extending forward from said lever under the pivoted arm, substantially as specified.

7. The combination of the carrying-frame and front and rear transverse shafts, of conewheels located on the transverse shafts, and belt connecting the same, a shaft, F, having a cam, F and driven from the rear transverse shaft, movable cutter-frame I and its cutterbar, and connections with said cam, substantially as described.

IIO

8.The combination,with the carrying-frame and shaft G, of the yoke-frame 2', depending therefrom and provided with loops, the frame I, playing through openings in the shaft G and 5 having the cutter-bar attached thereto, and

connections with the actuating devices, substantially as described. v

9. The combination,with the carrying-frame and actuating mechanism, of the vertically- 10 movable framel, having the cutter-bar,a pivoted arm, n, engaging said frame, and a cam,

Ffldriven from said actuating mechanism and having a grooved working-surface, substantially as described. 15 10. The combination,with thecarrying-frame having the actuating-shaft G, movable in its bearings, a rod, N,connected to said shaft and bent forwardly, and a crank-shaft, k engaging said rod, and an operating-lever therefor, a frame, I, mounted in said shaft G and carrying the cutter-bar, and connections with the actuating-shaft, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JAMES DROMMOND SCHOFIELD.

WVitnesses:

C. GoLLINs, H. L. ATEN. 

